Man's Best Friend?
by Red Roses2
Summary: Warning: contains disturbing concepts for Western audiences. South Korea takes America into a local market. What happens when America sees something he shouldn't have? Will their friendship survive? S.Korea x America, implied one sided? Japan x America


Red Roses2: Okay, this is the last Hetalia one-shot idea I had. After this, I'll be updating The Yaoi Brigade more. But I still won't be updating as often because I had some other stuff crop up that'll require a lot of attention.

Summary: South Korea invites America over for a visit. But what happens when South Korea lets America wander off too far in the local market? Will their friendship survive?

Pairing: South Korea x America - it needs more love, blast it!

Warnings: Disturbing concepts for Western audiences, not-that-humorous culture clash.

Man's Best Friend?

South Korea blocked America's punch, then dropped, kicked America below the belt, twisted the leg he kicked with behind America's ankles, connected his other leg with America's thighs, then toppled the American over. America landed on his back with a loud "oof!", still wincing at the pain between his legs. South Korea then finished it off with an ax kick to America's midsection.

America responded with the appropriate onomatopoeia: "_GAH_!"

He rolled over onto his side and curled up into a ball in an attempt to lessen the pain. South Korea got back on his feet and knelt beside him.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I - I'm fine. J-just give me a moment."

South Korea smiled, but the rest of his face clearly said he thought the American was wimpy.

"If you just practiced more often, this wouldn't happen every time."

"I know, I know, you try practicing when - !"

South Korea tilted his head as America's expression went from annoyed-and-in-pain to in-pain-but-guilty.

"When what?"

"Nothing."

America hopped back up, seemingly fine now. But South Korea knew better.

"Something the matter?"

America purposefully avoided looking at South Korea, and the Korean doubted it was him practicing the "don't look people in the eye while talking" thing.

"Ah, I'm just hungry. What's there to eat?"

South Korea narrowed his eyes at him, but decided to shrug it off. The American never told him anything when prodded too much.

"Well, there's kimchi - "

"_Again?_"

" - and we could go into market to get some meat."

South Korea grinned as America seemed to cheer up.

"All right, then! Let's go!"

_A dog is a man's best friend._

South Korea tried not to laugh _too_ much at how excited America was to be in an "old-fashioned" Korean market. It was fun to watch him run back and forth between stands, looking at everything in awe.

South Korea took his eyes off America and went back to picking out a selection of meat. Now, should it be beef, pork, chicken, or - ?

The vendor spoke to him in Korean, and they proceeded to talk about the price. This went on for about ten minutes, and it wasn't really going anywhere. Sighing, South Korea turned around and said, "Alfred, what do you think?"

He raised an eyebrow when he couldn't spot the American immediately. He scanned the area really quick, only to realize America had run off somewhere. He sighed, then told the vendor he'd be back. The vendor nodded, and South Korea began his search for America.

He found him pretty quickly, actually.

The confused yet disturbed expression on America's face made him more worried than the disappearance did.

"Alfred?"

America looked at him, then looked back at the stand before them.

"Im Yong, what is this exactly?"

He pointed at the product the stand was selling.

South Korea took a good look at it, then looked back at America.

"It's dog."

America's face paled, and his mouth pressed into a thin line.

"W-why does it look like . . . _that_?"

South Korea tilted his head to the side. America couldn't be that stupid, could he?

"You expected us to eat it with the fur still on?"

America's eyes widened. He stared at the stand for a long time.

"You eat . . . dogs?"

"Well, yeah."

Either it was South Korea's imagination, or America's face turned blue, and the Western nation promptly fainted.

_Man is man, dog is dog._

South Korea dished the kimchi into bowls and brought them over to where America sat.

South Korea still didn't know what was wrong with him, but America refused to look at, well, anyone.

"Here," South Korea said.

America glanced at the bowl.

"I'm not hungry."

South Korea furrowed his eyebrows.

"How come?"

America paled again.

"I think I'll throw up if I think about it too much."

The Korean frowned.

"I could make it better. . . ."

America finally looked up at South Korea's face.

". . . Is it legal?"

"Is what legal?"

"Eating dog!"

South Korea leaned back away from America as he suddenly straightened up, his face contorted as though he were about to cry. South Korea blinked rapidly.

"Um, yes?"

While true, he wished he hadn't said that. America turned a light shade of green.

Though he looked like he really didn't want to know, America continued, "Why?"

South Korea shrugged. "It's been a food since forever."

That shade of green darkened.

"Do you want me to bring a trash can or something?" South Korea asked.

America shook his head.

"I want to go home now," America said, hugging his knees to his chest.

South Korea frowned, but nudged the bowl of kimchi towards America.

"It's just kimchi. Nothing else. And it's a long plane ride. . . ."

"I'm not hungry."

South Korea set the bowls down and adjusted himself so he was sitting too.

"Not everyone here eats dog. And if they do, it's just during the summer."

America turned an even darker shade of green; now he was the same color as the kimchi in the bowl.

"And it's not like it's all breeds, just certain ones. We do keep them as pets, after all."

America covered his ears and closed his eyes tightly.

Tears pricked at South Korea's own eyes, but he wasn't going to cry in front of America.

He took a deep breath and yelled, "I DON'T EAT THEM!"

South Korea waited, but America didn't move. South Korea picked up his bowl of kimchi, stood up, and walked away.

"Really?"

South Korea turned around; America still wasn't looking at him, but he had removed his hands from his ears.

"Really."

America opened his eyes and looked in South Korea's general direction.

"Then . . . how come you were confused on what was bothering me? I mean, dogs are man's best friend. . . ."

South Korea tilted his head to the side.

"What are you talking about? Man is man, and dog is dog. How could they be friends?"

If anything, America looked more upset by that mere statement than by the idea of dog meat.

_Arf! Arf!_

America froze in mid-technique as a disapproving snort announced the visitor's arrival.

"Hey, Japan."

"Hello, America-san. . . ."

America frowned; Japan wouldn't mention it, but it was obvious he didn't approve of America's choice of martial art.

"How's it going?"

"I am fine. How was your trip to South Korea?"

"Eh heh. . . ."

America hooked his thumbs on his belt.

"It was informative."

Japan raised an eyebrow.

"How so?"

America shook his head. Japan opened his mouth to say something more, but America's stomach interrupted him. _Growllll_. America blushed and laughed.

"I actually haven't eaten since I went. . . ."

"You should take better care of yourself than that, America-san."

"Yeah. . . ."

_Ding, dong_.

"Hm? Who could that be?" America wondered aloud.

America went to the front door and opened it.

South Korea shoved a basket filled with containers stuffed with kimchi, other vegetables, noodles, and rice.

America blinked rapidly at the basket, then looked back up at South Korea. South Korea grinned at him.

"I was worried, so I brought food! Don't worry, no meat at all!"

America grinned back.

"Thanks, Korea."

"Oh, and guess who's here to meet you!"

"Hm?"

South Korea whistled and patted his knees. "Here boy!"

The bushes outside America's house rustled, and a Shar Pei puppy came bursting out of the flora. It ran right up to America, barking happily.

America's grin widened.

"He's all yours!" South Korea said.

"He have a name?"

"I wasn't sure you could pronounce anything I'd name him, so - !"

The two laughed.

"Japan!" America turned around so the other Asian nation could hear him better. South Korea's grin faltered at the sight of Japan, and Japan's eyes narrowed. "Looks like we'll be having Korean food for lunch!"

Japan simply nodded, but he didn't look too happy about it.

"You want to come in?" America asked South Korea.

"Ah, no, I have some errands to do! Just thought I'd drop these over! See you soon?" South Korea said.

"Sounds good! See ya!"

"Bye!"

South Korea departed, and America managed to scoop up the puppy and close the door without dropping the basket of food.

"Japan, could you take this?" America said, gesturing the basket towards him.

Japan silently took the basket from him, and he looked down at the food with a bit of derision. America lifted the puppy up above his head.

"Hey, Japan?"

"Yes?"

"What's the Japanese word for friend?"

"Tomodachi."

Japan looked up from the food - and was a little surprised at the softness of America's gaze as he brought the puppy close to his chest.

"Yeah, that's sounds good. Your name will be Lucky Tomodachi! Yes it will!"

Japan raised an eyebrow, but he didn't ask why.

Red Roses2: I have a Korean immigrant friend who explained to me that, while he also considered dogs to be man's best friend, his parents didn't understand that and would say "man is man, dog is dog". The idea that dogs are on the same plane as humans was a strange concept to them. And once, I was doing some research on a paper that I was doing and I stumbled onto _pictures_ of dog meat on display in a Korean market. Like America, I didn't have an appetite for a long while. I even did a little bit more research to write this story, and I had the urge to vomit while I was reading the Wikipedia page.

On a different note, South Korea teaching America Tae Kwon Do comes from Tae Kwon Do being the most popular martial art in the United States. I am a 1st Dan Black Belt, which is the very first black belt rank.

South Korea gives America a Shar Pei puppy, despite it being a Chinese breed, because my Korean friend has one and they're cute.

Japan disapproves of America learning Tae Kwon Do because, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Japan had tried to stamp out Korean culture and identity. Obviously, that plan didn't succeed, and parts of non-Korean martial arts were incorporated into what is considered Tae Kwon Do today. So Japan basically is just mad that America picked TKD over Karate (which is technically not Japanese, either, but from Okinawa.)


End file.
